Cleveland County breaks ground to remodel fairground event center

CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) — Cleveland County broke ground Friday morning for its remodel of the Cleveland County Fairgrounds Event Hall with construction beginning after the county fair.

The $10 million remodel project is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and has been in the design phase over the past several months.

“We are committed to enhancing public welfare by strategically utilizing ARPA funding to
modernize and transform an aging facility into a versatile space that can serve the community in
times of crisis,” said County Commissioner Rod Cleveland. “The recent pandemic underscored
the need for large, adaptable public spaces capable of hosting events like mass vaccinations and
distribution of medical supplies, a need that Cleveland County currently cannot fully meet.”

The Cleveland County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) began discussions with community stakeholders in May 2021 to analyze the best ways they could invest $55 million in ARPA funding towards the good of the public.

One way was to repurpose the Event Hall at the fairgrounds to serve as a future means for large-scale, safe vaccinations, storage, and distribution of medical supplies.

“We want this building to serve a variety of public needs,” said County Commissioner Rusty
Grissom. “This isn’t just about events or vaccinations or fair exhibits. It’s a space that can
accommodate a wide range of current and future needs. That’s a smart investment of federal
dollars to serve our county.”

“By investing in the modernization of this facility, we are ensuring that Cleveland County is
prepared to address future needs while also providing a state-of-the-art venue for other events
and gatherings,” said County Commissioner Jacob McHughes.

The plan is to have the rebuilding and renovation project completed before the next county fair in 2025.